| Author: | Leonard | Latest revision: | April 4, 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author’s Notes: | As Alun puts it, the song is “hypnotically slow, pulling everyone towards its meaning.” It harks back to Cat’s time in Shaftesbury Avenue, where there was no playground nearby, and where even in his school the kids mostly played in the basement. All of that is contrasted with the overtechnologization of society and its looming ecological consequences. The basic track is recorded with just two guitars (Cat and Alun) and vocals, with everything else, including Cat’s electric piano and vibraphone, individually overdubbed later, which is why the drums lurch somewhat behind. Del Newman did the string arrangement again. The D-G major change is Cat’s main spiel here and transcribed in detail below. For the 2020 reimagined version (see bottom), Cat further refined the D-G sequence. | ||
| Each guitar tab is the author’s own work and represents his or her own interpretation of the song. Visitors may use the guitar tabs offered here only for private study, scholarship, or research. |
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"Where Do the Children Play?"
by Cat Stevens
from the original album
TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN (1970)
Standard tuning
(bass to treble) E-A-D-G-B-E
played with a pick (plectrum)
in 4/4 time (mostly)
INTRO
D D2 D G G6 G G6
/ / / / / / / /
d u d d d u d u d d d u
E| |-2-0-0---2---2-0-|-3-0-0---3---0-0--| |
B| |-3-3-3---3---3-0-|-0-0-3---0---3-0--| | Play 4 times.
G|.|-2-2-2---2---2-0-|-0-0-0---0---0-0--|.|
D|.|-0---0---0---0---|-0---0---0---0----|.| (Continue like this
A| |-0---0---0---0---|-x---x---x---x----| | throughout verses.)
E| |-----------------|-3---3---3---3----| |
C+9 C+9* G6/B C+9** G6/B* A
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / |
VERSE 1
D G D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D G D G
Well I think it's fine building jumbo planes,
D G D G
Or taking a ride on a cosmic train.
D G D G
Switch on summer from a slot machine,
D G D G
Yes get what you want to if you want, 'cause you can get any-thing.
Em A Em A
I know we've come a long way, we're changing day to day.
Em A D G D G
But tell me where do the child-ren play? _________________
VERSE 2
D G D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D G D G
Well you roll on roads over fresh green grass
D G D G
For your lorry loads pumping petrol gas.
D G D G
And you make them long and you make them tough.
C+9 C+9* G6/B C+9** G6/B*
Ah but they just go on and on and it seems that you can't get off.
Em A Em A
I know we've come a long way, we're changing day to day.
Em A D G D G
But tell me where do the child-ren play? _________________
INTERLUDE
D G D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
C+9 C+9* G6/B C+9** G6/B* A
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / |
D G D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
D G D G
| / / / / | / / / / | / / / / | / / / / |
VERSE 3
D G D G
Well you've cracked the sky, scrapers fill the air.
D G
But will you keep on building high-er,
D G
'Til there's no more room up there?
C+9 C+9* G6/B C+9* G6/B*
Will you make us laugh, (or) will you make us cry?
C+9* G6/B C+9* G6/B*
Will you tell us when to live, (or) will you tell us when to die? _______
Em A Em A
I know we've come a long way, we're changing day to day.
Em A D G D G
But tell me where do the child-ren play? _________________
OUTRO
D G D G
Do do do do do, do do do do do.
D G D D2 D
Do do do do do, do do do do do.
CHORDS
======
┌────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Note: For the reimagined version of the song on │
│ TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN 2 (2020), Cat plays │
│ a slightly different D-G sequence over │
│ each last verse line setting in with "play", │
│ sliding down and up the fret with his ring │
│ finger on each upstroke on the D-major part, │
│ like so: │
│ │
│ D A* D2 D A* G G6 G G6 │
│ / . / . / . / . / . / . / . / . │
│ d u d d d u d u d d d u │
│ E|-2-0-0---2---2-0-|-3-0-0---3---0-0--| │
│ B|-3\2/3---3---3\2-|-0-0-3---0---3-0--| │
│ G|-2-2-2---2---2-2-|-0-0-0---0---0-0--| │
│ D|-0-0-0---0---0-0-|-0---0---0---0----| │
│ A|-0---0---0---0---|-x---x---x---x----| │
│ E|-----------------|-3---3---3---3----| │
└────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
D D2 G G6
x00232 x00230 3x0003 3x0030
---IRM ---IR- R----L R---L-
C+9 C+9* C+9** G6/B G6/B*
x32033 x32030 x30030 x20030 x20000
-MI-RL -MI-R- -MI-R- -I--R- -I----
Em A A*
022000 x02220 xx0220
-MR--- --IMR- ---IR-
Chord fingering: T = thumb
I = index finger
M = middle finger
R = ring finger
L = little finger
Tablature notation: h = hammer-on
p = pull-off
/ = legato slide (gliss) up the fret
\ = legato slide (gliss) down the fret
! = accentuate part with great intensity
d = downward stroke
u = upward stroke
Playing Cat Stevens 